I was going to do some night fishing last night, but my son said he was too tired for it so I waited till today to go solo.
The day started out with me getting some work done and then it was over the hill and off to cutler. I couldn't believe how perfect it was today. A few other fisherman where I wanted to try, but heck, I'm sociable so I went for it anyway.
Right off the bat I got a big old carp. It was a really fun fight and now I have a new short term supply of bait! Then the bullheads started in on me. I up sized my bait a little and that just up sized the bullheads. I caught several between 10-12", really fun when they're that size. I decided to keep the biggest ones to try eating. Some friends from the Midwest told me they are really good to eat and they grew up on them so what the heck, I'll give it a shot!
I was using shrimp and worms and I caught the biggest mudcats and carp on shrimp and then I started getting some channel cats, but they only bit on night crawlers. I caught several dink channel cats and 4 that were 14-16". In the mix I also picked up a nice fat 22" kitty.
I couldn't find a contest worthy cat today, but the weather really made up for it and my new little asian buddies were very gracious to share the spot with me. They even nailed a 28" channel cat that was very heavy for its length. I think its really gonna start turning on in the next few weeks.
I have to say, I think half of the allure of fishing for these critters on cutler is just listening to all the different birds. Geese, cranes, grebes, they really make it sound like summer is coming!
Anyway, a few pics below.
Cheers.
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Looks like you were on foot today, didn't know you would be in my backyard or I'd snuck out of doing my taxes and said hey.... I live up just east of where you were fishing. Maybe I'll make it out tomorrow, hope I can find a dumb one... Later J
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So you fish that spot often? I've always passed it by because it looked to accessible and obvious, but it was pretty good today. I also went on the river below cutler and did ok, but except for a large carp I got nothing big, Just small mufflers and channel cats (really small).
If that's your back yard then you are very lucky. What a nice place yo have at your disposal.
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[#0000FF]Lovely. Glad you found a few to stretch your string. When you get to fish on such a nice day the catching is almost anticlimactic. Almost.
Some day soon you will get to do hand-to-fin combat with a contest fish. Good luck.
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I am lucky, its a nice area to be from. However, that spot gives me more than my share of frustration. It's either hot or cold for me and more times cold than hot. I fish it occasionally but prefer other areas nearby. That spot has all the conditions to be really good, but I just can't figure out how to catch them consistently there. Glad you had a great day, I'm going now to try my luck, hope its worthy of a post after. Later J
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Good luck! I hope you can start patterning them again.
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Well I already blew it. Was rigging my other pole when my bobber went under, but I thought it looked like a mudcat so I set the hook and sort of one handedly tried to reel it in. Well it wasn't a mudder or a carp. It was big heavy and when it decided to go I wasn't prepared for it and it snapped my line. Nothing since but that was a fun start. Garden hackle, not likings minnows. Thanks for the well wish. Later J.
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Jeff you need to get those big boys in!! What lb. test do you use??
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Nice job! How do those bullheads (mudders) taste? I won't try one. I've got it in my head that they're nasty. Almost like carp.
My biggest this year is only 22" like the one you caught. Seems there are lots of the smaller type channels being caught this year, than in previous years. I wonder if that drought is somehow to blame.
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Yep Friday was a nice day. Have read many posts on here about Cutler. Never been there. Would like to give it a try. Is it boatable ? Or better to bank tangle. I'll do either one. But would some kind BFTer send me directions how to get there from Ogden area. I see the Resv on the map, but not sure how to get where. Is it a State Park ? Will my park day pass work, or does it have it's own launce fee like Mantua ?
Thanks in advance for any assistance.
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[quote lavaman]Nice job! How do those bullheads (mudders) taste? I won't try one. I've got it in my head that they're nasty. Almost like carp. [/quote]
[#0000FF]Another case of induced prejudice. Both carp and bullheads can be delectable. But, like most species, the table quality can vary on different waters and under different conditions.
I have eaten bullheads from several waters around the country...as well as in Utah. Some were nice white flesh and no "off" taste at all. Others tasted like the black mud from which they were caught. But the same can be said of trout, bass and even bluegills. All of those can taste terrible at times.
I eat quite a few bullheads from Utah Lake. And I have never had a bad one. The lake may get muddy when the wind blows but it is pretty clean overall. Any bullhead over about 11 or 12 inches will give up a decent fillet. Filleted and skinned the uncooked flesh is a dark pink color. But, when cooked it is a fine white and nice firm texture. It takes a few fish to make a meal for two or three but well worth the effort if the fish are from reasonably clean environment.
By the way, in the BLT PO BOY pic below, the B stands for bullhead.
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It's free parking. Excellent fishing from boat and better than bank tangling most of the time. Best way to get to benson marina is to go north through Logan on the main drag until you get to airport road about 2 miles north of Logan. Turn west on airport road and stay on that road (make a right turn at the wye in the road by Darrel's appliance and stay on that road until you come to a tee in the road (next to the benson LDS church). Turn right at the tee and head south on that road. It will wind around a bit first to the west then to the south. Right after it straightens out heading to the south you will see a road turning west. Turn west there and stay on that road as it winds through some houses and farms and as long as you are on that road you will see the marina on your right just before a bridge.
There is probably an easier way, but that is the best way I can describe it.
Motoring north out of the marina and heading up the bear river a bit is my preferred hunting grounds for Mr. Whiskers.
Good luck if you try it!
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Quote:I have to say, I think half of the allure of fishing for these critters on cutler is just listening to all the different birds. Geese, cranes, grebes, they really make it sound like summer is coming!
Great summary of a good post. Could not have said it any better myself. The sights, sound, and yup, even the smells of being out on the water are a big part of what keeps us going back. An occasional fish helps too but just being out there is always time well spent.
Nice post. Keep 'em coming.
BLK
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Ok lava man, here is the bullhead dinner report. They were delicious! Cooked up white and delectable. Like tube dude said, the meat was pinkish when raw, but white when cooked. I didn't fillet them but just took off the head, skin and fins and fried em in oil after rolling them in seasoned corn meal. If I catch big enough ones from now on I'll be keeping some. I've tried young carp in the past fried up after scoring the fillets with a sharp knife every 1/4" or so and it was good too. I'm sure if it weren't for the insane amount of bones in a carp, Americans would be eating them as often as other fish. The big ones meat looks too dark for my taste though.
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Yup he schooled me. I usually use 12 and 15 lb test line for the cats, but I had one rod with 6 lb mono on it and guess which one I had casted out for a second until I got a bait hook on? That just wasn't heavy enough and I had my drag screwed up on the cheap reel so I got beat.
As I was loading up to go I left my pole out while I was loading my toon and out of the corner of my eye I see my new expensive rod and reel taking off. I jumped and grabbed it just as it was going in the water and was able to save my pole and drag a nice 21" kitty in to break my skunk streak at last. So it wasn't fast but I did get 3 hits one missed hit also. Fun morning, I guess I only fished two hours so it wasn't too bad. Anyway I hope it will keep picking up from here. Take it easy and catch some big ones to get some numbers on the board. Later J
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You and TD are right, I should stop being prejudiced. I'm sure they're great tasting (depending on the water clarity).
Maybe one day I'll try them.
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Nice looking kitty, I'm glad you got the skunk off!
With this nice weather, it has already started picking up (ask catmaster)...time to do some serious catfishing now.
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Thanks gmwahl. Next good day I get I think I'll take a road trip up there. I'll let you know.
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Don't feel to bad about being out off by the look. I'm 44 and after probably thousands of the little buggers coming to my hand, I just barely tried them. Funny though, I've fished a lot of saltwater and those fish can be VERY unappetizing looking ( ling cod?), but they always seem to taste good. I just decided the rest of the world can't be wrong (unless they disagree with me ).
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Hey TC can I add a little to the directions. From Ogden area just head to Logan on 89, just when you start to hit town by the Utah State mural on the wall turn left on 1000 W go north on this road to the second light or 200 N turn left. This road is also called valley view highway. Take it west until you pass the hunters safety center and take the next right. Go north on this road until the second left and turn west on it. Follow it until you see the marina on the right. This route keeps you out of town and will save a lot of hassle with lights and traffic plus its a lot closer too. Let me know when and if I can ill run down and give you a couple starter spots. Later J
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